Heidi Wheaton
Background Conservative candidate for PA Senate in 2006. East Hempfield Township Supervisor Heidi Wheaton began her campaign for the Pennsylvania State Senate by calling on Republicans in Harrisburg to return to their historic roots of lower taxes, a smaller government, and personal freedom and responsibility. Against the backdrop of the July 7th unconstitutional legislative pay raise and a growing culture of waste and corruption, Heidi's crusade is a direct challenge to the political status quo. Links * SOURCE: Heidi Wheaton's blog * Blog is http://www.lancastervalues.com Issues I'm running for state senator because the Republican Party and this state need leaders who are prepared lead with principle and conviction. This is what I'm fighting for: 1. Protect life - born and unborn. Heidi believes protecting innocent life human is the defining public policy concern of our time. In 1989, Pennsylvania passed the landmark Abortion Control Act, once considered the strongest pro-life law in the nation. Since then however, little has been done to advance a culture of life in the state legislature. As senator, Heidi will fight to win passage of the Ultrasound Access Law, providing women considering an abortion with additional information about the choice they face. Additionally, she will work with pro-life colleagues to end state taxpayer funding of organizations like Planned Parenthood, while increasing resources to pro-life crisis pregnancy centers and adoption agencies. Heidi believes Pennsylvania must again become the leader in the battle to extend full legal protection to unborn children. 2. Defend traditional marriage. Heidi believes every child deserves a mother and father, and opposes efforts to redefine traditional marriage. As senator, Heidi will lead the charge to pass a state marriage amendment defining marriage as the union between "one man and one woman." Passage of the amendment would allow the people of Pennsylvania, not activist judges, to decide the future of marriage in our state. For Heidi Wheaton, keeping Pennsylvania a traditional marriage state is a top legislative priority. 3. Repeal slot machine gambling. When Pennsylvania policy makers legalized 67,000 addictive slot machines, they ignored significant evidence suggesting negative socio-economic consequences for the Commonwealth. As the recent battle over Lancaster and Gettysburg slot parlor licenses illustrates, no community is truly safe from the billion dollar organized gambling industry. Heidi Wheaton believes that public pressure and legislative leadership could lead to the reversal and repeal of Pennsylvania's slot machine law. Against the backdrop of the full repeal of the legislative pay raise, citizens should use this unique moment to right legislative wrongs like expanded gambling. As senator, Heidi will lead the fight to repeal slot machine gambling and any future expansion of gambling in our state. 4. Fight higher taxes. When Ed Rendell proposed significant increases to Pennsylvania's personal income tax rate and explosive levels of new state spending, Republican leaders in Harrisburg agreed. Heidi Wheaton believes it is time for Republicans to use the power of robust majorities in the State House and Senate to block future tax and spending increases and return to its historic platform of lower taxes and limited government. She believes lower taxes and restrained government spending are the key ingredients of an economic recovery. As senator, Heidi will fight to roll back the Personal Income Tax increase, eliminate the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax and work for major reductions to Pennsylvania's Corporate Net Income Tax. As a signer of the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge," Heidi has pledged to oppose every increase in taxes. 5. Control state spending. According to the free-market Commonwealth Foundation, between the years 1991 and 2002, Pennsylvania had the 5th-highest real per capita spending growth rate in the nation. CF also found that Pennsylvania's tax and spending levels have yielded abysmal results placing it at 47th in job growth, 48th in personal income growth, and 48th in population growth. Heidi believes Pennsylvania government spending must be controlled before any hope of economic recovery can be realized. As senator, Heidi will fight to win passage of a "Tax and Expenditure Limitation" (TEL), which would limit state government taxes and spending to Pennsylvania's inflation and population growth rates. The measure is supported by wide majorities in public opinion surveys. Heidi believes it is time to control state government spending. 6. End lawsuit abuse. As small business owner, Heidi Wheaton believes in the important role of the courts in ensuring private property rights and protecting personal freedom. But Heidi also believes that Pennsylvania's legal system has become home to the frivolous lawsuit, a virtual "legal lottery" which dramatically drives up the cost of doing business in our state. That is why Heidi supports enactment of the significant legal reforms including capping jury awards on "non economic damages," a change supported by Pennsylvania's physicians and job creators. For Heidi Wheaton, enacting real legal reform in Pennsylvania is a top legislative priority. 7. Reform the state legislature. Heidi Wheaton is a signer of the "Promise to Pennsylvania," a commitment to challenge and change the culture of Harrisburg. As senator, Heidi will fight for the following reforms to make Pennsylvania's legislative bodies more accountable to taxpayers: :* Require an independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of the General Assembly for waste, fraud and mismanagement. :* Mandate that the "PA Sunshine Law" apply uniformly to all legislative sessions, meetings and hearings conducted by State Government, granting appropriate access to the public and media. :* Disallow passage of any legislation that has not strictly met the procedural rigor detailed in Sections 1-4, Article III, of the Pennsylvania Constitution. :* Enact a five-year waiting period for former legislators and cabinet officials to become lobbyists. :* Eliminate gifts to public officials from lobbyists for any entity desiring business with the Commonwealth. :* Require legislators to abstain from voting on any legislation that could benefit their personal or business interests. Wheaton Wheaton